Daily Yellowstone journal., 1887-04-01
BERTHINE'S CApTlVES.

midday, a fine, powdery snow that spread
upon the branches a frozen moss, upon
the frs a coating Of silver and upon the
soads and pathways an immense carpet,
soft and white, and which intensified the
stiffness of this sea Of trees.
Before the door of a forester's hut a
young woman with her sleeves rolled up
70 the elbows was cutting wood with an
AZ upon a stone. Tall, supple and strong,
she was a true daughter of the forest and
the child and wife Of a forester. Sud-
denly a voice came from the interior of
the house:
1--WE are alone this evening, Berthine;
come in and make everything fast. There
may be Russians rs well as wolves in the
forest tonight"
The wood chopper responded with a re-
sounding stroke Of the ak.
II have nearly finished, mother" she
said; besides, there is no need of fear
yet; it is still daylight" Nevertheless,
she brought in her fagots and sticks of
wood, and piling them up in the chimney
corner went out again TO close up the
shed; then re-entering the room she
pushed to the door and locked and bolted
Her mother, an old and wrinkled
woman whom age had made timid and
nervous, was seated by the tireside spin
ming.
Il do not like it, Berthine,'' said she;
.'when your father is from home, two
women are not strong"
''But l am not afraid" the girl re-
sponded; II can defend myself from a
wolf OF a Prussian all the same" and
she glanced significantly at a huge re-
-volver suspended above the chimney
piece.
Berthine's husband had been in the
army ever since the beginning of the
Prussian invasion, and these two women
had remained alone with only the old
father, Nicholas Pichon. the gamekeeper,
as he was called in the neighborhood.
who had obstinately refused to leave his
dwelling and seek protection in the city.
The city nearest the Pichon hut was
Rethel, aquaint and Incient place perched
upon a high rock. Filled with patriot
ism, the citizens hal decided to resist in
vaders-to shut themselves up, and if nee
essary sustain a siege such as had taken
place in the time Of their forefathers-for
twice already the inhabitants Of Rethel,
in the days of Henry ~ and Louis XIV,
had rendered themselves thus illustrious.
Purchasing q supply Of cannon and guns,
equipping q militia, and forming them
selves into battakons and companies, they
exercised daily on the Place d'Armes.
Bakers, grocers, butchers, notaries. law
yers, cabinet makers, librarians and even
druggists maneuvered in turn at the regu-
lation hour under the command of NJ.
Lavigne, IN ex-oficer of dragons, and
to-day, thanks to his having married
the daughter and heiress Of the shop
keeper, Raredan, the richest and most in
fnential man in the city.
And thus they patiently waited the
Prussians. the Prussians who never came,
though twice they had been seen in the
forest. in the neighborhood of Pichon's
hut. who had run TO warn the city.
This house Of Nicholas Pichon's served
as a sort Of advance post in the forest of
Aveline; and twice a week the old man
went into the city to purchase provisions
and TO carry TO the citizens the latest news
Of the campaign.
His errand to Rethel to-day was to an
poun that a small detachment Of Ger
man infantry had halted near his house
about 2 O'Clock that morning. They did
not remain long. nor did he know the d.
rection they had taken, but all the same,
as soon as they had gone again PiclIon
called his dogs and started for the city,
in~structing his wife and daughter 10 bolt
and barricade the house when night
should fall, and on no account to open
the door, no matter who might knock.
Berthine was afraid of nothing, but the
old woman trembled and constantly re-
peated: 1T will end badly-you will see
lit will end badly, sure!'' and To- night
she seemed more unquiet than usual.
''Knowest thou at what hour thy ia
ther will return?'' she said to her daugh-
ter, presently,
.'Not before IL, certainly. When ia
ther dimes with the major commandment
(the title Iavigne had conferred upon
himself), he never returns till Late" and
Berthine hung the pot over the fire and
prepared to make the soup. All at once
she ceased to stir il; she wa listening TO
an indistinct noise that came down the
f1ue Of the chimney.
.'Some one is walking in the WOOD"
she said; ''seven or eight people at least"
The old woman, frightened TO death,
stopped her wheel and began to wliim-
per.
mon Dieu. Berthine!" she cried; 'and
thy father is from home!'
But Berthine did not reply, for at the
moment there was a knock at the door.
and a cultural voice demanded admit
lance.
''Open or I'll preak te toor," the same
voice shouted a little later. Slipping the
revolver into her pocket, the young wo-
man crossed the room and, placing her
mouth 30 the keyhole, shouted in return:
Sand who n your "A detachment
from be udder side!' ''Well, what do
you want!'' Something's 10 eat: | haf
peen lost since morning in tie woods; pen
or I'll preak te toor!'
Without waiting for him to put his
threat into execution, she slipped the
bolts; the door swung heavily upon its
hinges, and she saw in the pale, snowy
light of the forest a group OF soldiers
standing upon the step-the same, in
fact, she had seen the evening before.
''This is no time Of night TO ask for
food" she continued, in resolute tone, y
''besides, | am alone in the house, with
only my mother"